14th October 2014.

I’m thinking a lot about trees and their presence and coincidentally, one of my students is devising a whole series of writing workshops on that theme. I am really thrilled that Mary Reynolds Thompson will be coming to give a therapeutic writing workshop in Canterbury on landscape archetypes. Hers is a blog I follow with great enthusiasm and which today led me an organisation called Tree Sisters which seems to be engaging with questions I’m asking myself right now.

But before that, I’ll be back in Cornwall, giving a reading and a workshop as part of the North Cornwall Book Festival in the evocative and wonderful surroundings of Endelienta, Fostering The Arts & Spirituality In North Cornwall- see – What’s On – Book Festival 2014 – details below.

Saturday 25th October 2014

10.30-11.30 THE POETRY OF WELLS & FIELD (Betjeman Marquee)
Philip Wells, aka the Fire Poet, walked 1000 miles barefoot in aid of the world’s barefoot children earlier this year. “Wells is superb.” (Philip Morrison, The Times) Victoria Field is a poet, and playwright, with a particular interest in the therapeutic uses of writing. Her collection The Lost Boys won the Poetry and Drama Class in this year’s Holyer an Gof awards (aka ‘the Cornish Bookers …) “Her poems illuminate the heart, and shine with richness of compassion and understanding of human predicament and travail.” (Penelope Shuttle) Hear them read their lively poetry side by side, with some musical accompaniment from Eduard Heyning. Tickets cost £5.

2.00-5.00 THE POETRY CURE (Stone Barn, St Endellion)
There’s growing evidence that there are demonstrable health benefits in reading and writing poems. Reading a good poem, especially in a group, opens an imaginative space where we can find insight, solace, wisdom and pleasure. Writing in response can be surprising, satisfying and enjoyable. Victoria Field qualified as a Poetry Therapist in 2005 and was identified in a recent Poetry Review as a pioneer in the field. She will share some simple and profound techniques to help us heal the past, live the present and create the future. No previous experience necessary. Please bring paper and something to write with. Tickets cost £15

And meanwhile here’s a meeting with a remarkable tree – a giant ash on the North Downs …

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

I am now working with trainees who wish to qualify as a Certified Applied Poetry Facilitator via the International Federation for Biblio-Poetry Therapy. More details of the qualifying procedures are available on the Federation website here. This is very exciting and there will be new opportunities posted up over the next couple of weeks.

The IFBPT is an independent organization with close ties to the National Association for Poetry Therapy – see here – which is an open membership organization comparable to the UK’s Lapidus – see here.

I am already teaching and presenting widely on the subject, but this new development means that I will be able to work with people in a more systematic and long-term way, initially under the supervision of Geri Chavis and Sherry Reiter, two true experts in the field whom I respect hugely.

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